Machine for cutting box-corners



No. 609,l6l. Patented Aug. 16, I898. W. E. NICHOLS.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING BOX CORNERS.

(Applicafion filed Sept. 20, 1897.)

3 ShetsSheet I.

(No Modem m. O t n e v n 1 Witnesses.

Attor ney5.

rm: mums Pcrsns ca. woTo-umo" wAsummou. n. c.

Patented Aug. I6, I898. W. E. NICHOLS.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING BOX CORNERS.

(Application filed Sept. 20, 1897.)

3 Shaets- Sheet 2.

1 (No Model.)

In\entor 62M 6/ I Attoznevs a iiig W M w W Witnesses.

In: Ncnms PETERS coy, PHOIO-LITHQ, v AsumomN. u. c.

No. 609,!6l. Patented Aug. l6, I898.

W. E. NICHOLS.

MACHINE FOB CUTTING BOX CORNERS.

(Application filed Sept. 20, 1897.), (N 0 HI ode I.)

3 heets-8heet 3- i Attorneys.

m: NORRIS Psrms 00.. PNoYoLnum. wasmnm'crg. a, c.

llrrnn STATES.

ATENT Prion.

\VILLIAM E. NICHOLS, OF \VINCHENDON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters ratent No. 609,161, dated August16, 1898 App at filed September 20, 1897. Serial no, 652,329. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM E. NICHOLS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Winchendon, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machinesfor Cutting Box-Corners, of which the following isa specification.

My invention relates to a woodworking-machine; and the object of myinvention is to provide a strong, simple, and efficient machine forcutting grooves in the end of a series of boards or a block to leavetongues which may be intermeshed to form box-corners.

To this end my invention consists of the parts and combinations ofparts, as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out inthe claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings, Figure 1 is a front view ofa machine constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview showing one end of the boards after the same have been operatedupon by my machine. Fig. 3 isatransverse sectional view of the machine.Fig. 4 is a detailed view showing the position of the clamping-j aw whenthe same is released from the work, it being assumed in this view thatthe feed-table has reached the top of its stroke and is againdescending. Fig. 5 is a detailed view of a box-corner formed by theboards which have been tongued by, my machine. Figs. 6 and 7 are viewsof a detail herein referred to. Fig. 8 is a rear view of a-machineconstructed according to my invention, and Fig. 9 is a side view of thesame.

A box-corner machine constructed according to my invention comprises acutter preferably formed by a series of saws, a feedtable for carryingthe work, and means for moving the table to present the work to the saw.A spring-pressed clamping-jaw is arranged to engage the work and holdthe same in position on the feed-table while being operated upon.

When the work has been moved past the cutters, the clamp-jaw will beautomatically moved out of engagement with the work, and

akick-out device may be employed for throwin g the work back from thecutters.

Referring to the drawings and in detail, A

designates the base or frame of the machine, which is preferably cast inbox form, with suitable supporting-feet, as shown.

A main shaft 10 is journaled in boxes 11 and 12, adjustably mounted 011theframe A.

Secured to the main shaft 10 are pulleys 13, to which power may beapplied for driving the machine. Secured to the end of the main shaft 10is a step-cone 14.

15 designates the cutter. This cutter preferably comprises a number ofsaws, which are set some distance apart, so that when a plank or blockis moved past the same a number of grooves will be cut in the endthereof,

leaving a series of tongues.

A feed-table 16 is movably mounted on vertical ways 17 at the front ofthe machine.

The gearing which I preferably employ for operating the feed-table 16comprises a shaft 18, journaled in overhanging boxes 19, secured to thebase A. Upon one end of the shaft 18 is secured a step-cone 20, whichmay be driven by a belt from the step-cone 14. At its opposite end theshaft 18 is provided with a friction-wheel 21, shown in dotted lines inFig. 3, which bears upon and drives a wheel 22, secured to acounter-shaft 23.

Secured on the counter-shaft 23 are pinions which mesh with and drivegeared-wheels 24,

carried on shafts 25. Connecting the gearwheels 24 is a crank-pin 26.

'27 designates a pitman which connects the crank-pin 26 with an arm 28,extending from the shaft 29. Extending from the opposite side of therock-shaft 29 and preferably formed integrally with the arm 28 is an arm30, which is connected by a pitman 31 to the feed-table 16.

By means of this construction it will be seen that the feed-table 16will be moved up and down past the cutters 15.

The spring-pressed clamp-jaw which I employ for securing the work inplace onthe feed-table 16 comprises a slide 32, mounted on the ways 17of the machine, and a jaw 33, adjustably secured to the slide 32.

Extending down from the slide 32 are rods 34, which extend through lugs36 of the feedtable 16.

Mounted on the rods 34 are spiral springs 37, which normally tend tomove the clamping-jaw into engagement with the work.

A rock-shaft 38 is mounted in bearings extending down from thefeed-table 16.

Secured to the end of the rock-shaft 38 is a bell-crank lever 39.

Adjnstably mounted on the frame A, in position to cooperate with thebell-crank lever 39, are adjustable steps 40 and 41.

Cam-pieces or rockers 42 are secured on the rock-shaft 38 in position toengage foot-pieces 43, secured to the lower ends of the rods 34. Bymeans of this construction it will be seen that when the feed-carriage16 is moved up the bell-crank lever 39 will engage its stop 40 seending.

to turn the rock-shaft 38, so that the rockers or cams 42 will raise theclamping-jaw out of engagement with the work. In a similar manner whenthe feed-table 16 reaches the lower end of its stroke the bell-cranklever will engage its adjustable stop 41, turning the rock-shaft 38 inthe opposite direction and again raising the clamping-jaw.

Suitable side gages 44 are secured in the feed-table 16 and may be heldin an adjusted position by means of clamping-handles in the ordinarymanner.

A back or depthing gage 45, as shown in Fig. 3, may be secured to theframe A.

The means which I preferably employ for adjusting the depth of the cutcomprises a shaft 46, having a hand-wheel 47 at the front of themachine.

A cross-shaft 48, as shown in Fig. 3, may be driven from the shaft 46 bythe ordinary worm -gearing and is provided with small cams for engagingpieces or brackets 49. By means of this construction the boxes 11 and 12of the main shaft 10 can be moved toward or away from the front of themachine, and they may be clamped in their adjusted position by means ofthe ordinary clampingbolts, which need not be shown or described herein.

In some cases I contemplate employing a spring-press kick-out for movingthe work back from the cutters, and I have illustrated such aconstruction in Figs. 3 and 4. As shown in these figures, the rock-shaft50 is journaled on a cross-piece secured to the ways 17 of the machine.

A springis secured to the end of an arm 51, extending from therock-shaft 50, and normally tends to turn the rock-shaft, so as to pushthe work back in position to be clear of the cutters during the returnstroke of the feed-table.

In Fig. 4-the Work is shown in the position which it would assume afterthe feed-table has completed its upstroke and is again de- During thelatter part of the upstroke of the feed-table the clamp-j aw will bereleased by means of the connections before described and the kick-outwill act substan tially as a cam to push the successive boards or planksback as the same move up past the transverse bar thereof, so that whenthe feed-table is again upon itsdesoending stroke, as illustrated inFig. 4, all portions of the work will have been moved back free from thecutter.

The operation of the machine as thus constructed is as follows: Thegages are first set to the desired position and the main shaft 10 isadjusted on the frame to produce the desired depth of the cut. The sawswill be rotated by belt at a comparatively high rate of speed, and bymeans of the gearing before described the work-table will be moved upand down in front of the cutters. The operator then takes the work,which'may be either a block of lumber or a number of boards, and placesit in position on the feed table to bear against one or both of the sidegages and on the depthing-gage. This is done when the feed-table isinits lowest position. As the table moves up the work will come in contactwith the spring-pressed jaw and will raise or carry said spring-pressedjaw with it. This will tightly clamp the work in position on thefeeding-table while the saws are cutting the grooves in the end thereof.WVhen the feed-table reaches the upper end of its stroke, the rock shaft38 will be operated and the clamping-jaw will be moved out of engagementwith the work and the kick-out will move the work back, so as not toengage the cutters when the feed-table descends. The operator can thenturn the work around and repeat the operation to out the other end ofthe work.

In Fig. 2 I have shown one end of the work after the same has beenoperated upon. The work, as before stated, can consist either of a blockor of a series of boards. If the work consists of a block, the same issawed into boards after the ends thereof have been grooved by themachine. By thus forming grooves G in the ends of the boards B thetongues G left between the grooves may be meshed together to form thecorner of aboX, as shown in Fig. 5.

The side gages 44 can be suitably adjusted so that a clear space will beleft on one side of the piece operated upon, in which the groove for thecover can be out. To set the gage, I provide a suitable adjustingmechanism, which is shown in Figs. 6 and 7. This adj usting mechanismconsists of a piece 5O, which is held bya screw 51 to the under side ofthe table 16. This piece has two upwardly-projecting lugs 500, in whichis secured a shaft 52. On this shaft 52 are set a number of gages orfingers 53 of gradually varying lengths, so that by turning the properfinger 53 into position the side gages 44 can be properly set to leavethe desired blank space without any measurement.

I am aware that changes may be made in the construction of box-corneringmachines by those who are skilled in the art. For example, the kick-outmay be omitted and different forms of driving-gearing can be employedwithout departing from the scope of my invention as expressed in theclaims.

I do not wish, therefore, to be limited to the construction which I haveshown and described; but

WhatI do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1. In a machine for the purpose stated, the combination of a seriescutter or plurality of circular saws, a reciprocating feed table mountedin ways,rods mounted in lugs formed on said table springs engaging saidrods, and means for automatically relieving the clamping-jaw when thetable is at the end of its stroke in either direction, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a machine for the purpose stated, the combination of a seriescutter or plurality of circular saws, a vertically-movable feed-table,rods mounted in said feed-table, a clamp- 3. In a machine for thepurpose stated, the

combination of a bed piece or frame, a vertically-movable feed-table, amain shaft having a series cutter or a plurality of circular saws, meansfor adjusting the main shaft to regulate the depth of thecut,spring-pressed rods mounted in the feed-table, a clampingjaw carriedby said rods, a rock-shaft having cam-pieces or rockers for relievingsaid clamping-jaw, and adjustable stops for operating said rock-shaftwhen the feed-table is at the end of its stroke in either direction,substantially as described.

4. In a machine for the purpose stated, the combination of a feed-table,an adjustable gage mounted thereon, and a setting mechanism for thegage, comprising a number of Varying-sized fingers 53, any one of whichcan be turned so that the gage can be set against the same,substantially as described.

5. In a machine for the purpose stated, the combination of a feed-table,an adjustable gage as 44 journaled thereon, a piece 50 carrying shaft52, and a number of fingers 53 of different lengths, any one of whichmay be turned into position so that the gage can be adjusted thereby,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM E. NICHOLS.

WVitnesses:

LOUIS W. SOUTHGATE, E. M. HEALY.

